Deadly Fire Claims 12 Lives in Southern China Residential Building
Initial reports had indicated eight fatalities and four injured people who were rushed to hospital. State media outlet Xinhua later confirmed that the total death toll had risen to 12
By : Mweru Mbugua
A tragic fire in a residential building in southern China has claimed the lives of 12 people, according to state media reports on Wednesday
The blaze erupted around 9:20 pm on Tuesday at a four-storey building in Shantou, Guangdong province. Local fire authorities said the fire was extinguished shortly after 10:00 pm
“The building on fire was a four-storey self-built reinforced concrete structure,” the Chaonan District Fire and Rescue Team said in a statement, adding that the fire affected an area of approximately 150 square metres (1,600 square feet)
Initial reports had indicated eight fatalities and four injured people who were rushed to hospital. State media outlet Xinhua later confirmed that the total death toll had risen to 12
Authorities are conducting investigations into the cause of the fire and handling its aftermath in an orderly manner
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This incident comes less than a month after a massive blaze engulfed multiple high-rise residential towers in neighboring Hong Kong, killing 160 people
In response, China has recently launched a campaign targeting fire hazards in high-rise buildings
